Ecuadorian footballer Mario Pineida, 33, was shot and killed in Guayaquil on Wednesday, his club Barcelona SC confirmed. Pineida, who played for Ecuador’s national team during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifiers and had stints with Fluminense, was attacked alongside his mother and another woman by two assailants on motorcycles.

Guayaquil has seen a surge in gang-related violence linked to drug trafficking, with several footballers targeted in recent months. In September, three second-division players were killed, and in October, local footballer Bryan Angula was wounded in a shooting.

The interior ministry confirmed Pineida’s death and deployed a special police unit to investigate. Guayaquil has recorded nearly 1,900 murders between January and September 2025, reflecting a sharp rise in organized crime as Ecuador becomes a transit hub for cocaine between Colombia, Peru, and global markets.

Barcelona SC expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their player, calling it a tragic event for the club and Ecuadorian football.